Bookmakers in Australia don’t restrict punters to just betting on sports or racing. There are many other novelty markets to bet on that can provide a lot of fun, as well as some profits, and one of the most popular markets is betting on reality TV.
Reality TV programs only began airing in Australia in 2000 but since then they have become increasingly popular with television audiences. Of the top 10 most-watched broadcasts in Australia since 2001, five of them have been reality TV shows.
As the majority of these reality TV programs are competitions resulting in outright winners and contestant eliminations, it was only a matter of time before bookmakers such as Ladbrokes and BoomBet opened betting markets for these reality TV shows.
Popular shows that often offer markets to bet on include Masterchef, Dancing with the Stars, MKR, The X-Factor, The Voice, The Bachelor, I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and many more. It's important to note that most reality TV betting is on shows that are somewhat "live". TV shows that have been pre-recorded well in advance, for example Survivor, generally won't be offered as a reality TV betting market since the result is already pre-determined and information may be leaked to compromise the market.
You will usually find the reality TV programs betting markets on Australian sportsbooks under the entertainment section, and the way they generally operate are similar to outright betting markets on sports. Contestants will be listed with their odds for various categories such as "Outright Winner" and punters can back who they like the most to win the show.
For example, there is a market for I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here that is called the “Tarzan of the Jungle”. This market is based on which male contestant will last the longest in the show before being eliminated, similarly there is a “Jane of the Jungle” which represents which female will be the last remaining.
These markets are used in other reality TV programs, as there will always be an outright winner option as well as more specific markets relating to the show.
While betting on reality TV is a great way to add some spark to your television viewing, there are also opportunities to make some money for the savvy viewer. If you take a look at the history of certain shows, you may find trends as to the winners of each show. Another great tip is to keep an eye on social media for any reality TV show that involves audience voting. Twitter provides information about which contestants are being talked about more than others, so it's a great tool to get a scoop on who might be a good bet.
To bet on these markets is simple, you simply need to deposit funds into a bookmaker such as Neds or betr and find the entertainment markets. Once you have arrived at the reality TV program market, you will be able to select the option you wish to back and place your bet. Then you will be able to watch your favourite reality TV show whilst sweating out the result you backed.
